I'm sorry
by Clumsy Clicker
Summary: Danny starts seeing Vlad in a whole new light. He wants to make things right with other halfa, confess how really feels but there's no way Vlad will believe him. So he writes him a letter ! A deeper look into Danny's thoughts and what could've happened
1. Chapter 1 I'm Sorry

**PLEASE READ: **_VERY IMPORTANT_**: OK, here's the deal. This story takes place a couple weeks after the episode "Eye for an Eye" assuming my last story never happened, ok? And if you haven't read my last story, THEN DO IT! You'll love it~!**

**Seriously, read it. Now back to this story. Danny has been doing a lot of thinking about his relationship to Vlad and all the terrible things that have happened between them when suddenly, he has a revelation. It was all his fault…**

**Realizing this he struggles with a way to tell Vlad how he feels and that he's sorry, knowing that the other halfa would never believe him.**

**Having no other way of confessing his feelings he decides to write a letter to Vlad, and here it is-**

*drum roll* Introducing, I'm Sorry

Vlad Masters was not a man easily shocked or caught off guard. Anyone who knew him was well aware of this.

And so it was no wonder why Vlad's butler almost tripped over his own feet as he walked back to the kitchen, the sound of glass shattering against the hard wood floor startling him greatly. The aged butler turned around only to find his master frozen to the spot, holding a plain white letter in his hand, one that the butler had just given him along with the rest of the morning mail. Looking down he found a broken china cup, steaming hot coffee pooling around the shattered pieces.

"S-sir?" The elderly man asked cautiously. "Is everything alright?"

His master sat there quietly for a long moment not moving or responding, not even _blinking_! It was as if he had been petrified. "Yes, Alexander, everything is fine." His master replied in a monotone voice not once taking his eyes off the letter in front of him.

"S-Should I call one of the maids to clean up this sir?" Alexander asked still worried about what had come over his employer.

"No. Just leave it for now." Mr. Masters answered still not glancing in his direction. "I wish to be left alone for awhile Alexander. Be sure to tell the others." (_Warn the others is more like it_.)

"Very well sir." Bowing, the butler quietly took his leave.

Vlad sat at a large dining room table, the five star breakfast in front of him untouched.

He read the name on the cover of the envelope again and again trying to make sense of it.

**Danny Fenton**.

With an almost expressionless look on his face he carefully unsealed the envelope not knowing what to expect. He probably should have been suspicious, with it being from Daniel and all, but then again how much harm could come in a letter?

He was about to find out.

Unfolding the letter Vlad looked at the neatly written, yet slightly smudged words, as if Danny had erased some and rewritten them trying to make them perfect.

The heading itself was interesting to say the least. It read:

Dear,

To Mr.

Vlad,

I'm sorry.

I know you probably don't believe me but I am. I'm really sorry.

_Really_.

You must be wondering what I'm apologizing for. Well… in a sort of, round about way, _everything_. I'm sorry for everything.

But mostly, I'm sorry for lying to you.

Remember back when you tricked my mom and I into staying at your hunting cottage in the Rockies?

(Vlad frowned at the bitter memory of yet another one of his failures.)

Yeah, I'm pretty sure you do… And that night when my mom left the room I tricked you into thinking I would join you,

(Vlad's jaw clenched as his heart tightened in his chest. "_You did a lot more than that Daniel_." Vlad thought angrily. "_You told me you wanted to be my son. You practically said you loved me only to_-"

and then I put the specter deflector around your waist.

"_rip my heart out_." Vlad was holding the letter in a vice grip, the delicate paper crumbling in his hand. The billionaire forced himself to stay calm. He didn't want to destroy the letter before reading everything his '_little badger_' wanted to say to him.)

I lied to you. I tricked you.

For just one moment I made you believe you had everything you ever really wanted. Only to pull it all away from you…

And I justified it all as being ok because I had already labeled you as a "_bad guy_."

That's when all this really started, but I only realized it just a few weeks ago when you became mayor. You cheated of course but it was partly my fault too. I provoked you.

It started out as a harmless prank. A practical joke. Just something to help pass the time and maybe get a few laughs.

I sent the "guys in white" over to your place knowing that they would destroy your mansion looking for any evidence of ghost weapons and stuff like that.

It didn't bother me that they would tear down your mansion because I knew you had more than enough money to buy or build another one twice as better.

Once again I justified something _I_ was doing wrong.

I didn't even think about all the personal stuff you must've had in that mansion. All the things you couldn't just go out and buy.

Family photos, old movies, gifts from friends, all of that gone for good! And all for some stupid prank!

Vlad, _I'm so sorry_…

(Vlad's grip on the letter lessened slightly. His expression softened just a bit. He had no idea Daniel had thought of it like that…)

It was after my little joke that you started trying to get even with me. And I couldn't blame you…

Our pranks started out harmless at first but quickly got more ruthless even to the point of us revealing each other naked in front of our peers, acquaintances, associates, and who knows how many others!

Thanks for that by the way. It's nice to know that the entire school saw my "_tan lines_". I still can't go to my locker without hearing girls giggling behind me…

(Vlad couldn't help but chuckle at that, picturing Danny's cheeks turn pink as two cheerleaders giggled at him only three feet away. Priceless.)

But that wasn't the worst of it. You went a lot farther then I ever intended to go.

You ran for mayor. And _won_.

I started the game, but now _you_ were the one making the rules.

(A devilish smirk played across Vlad's lips. Daniel's words were simple, but oh so true. Vlad could still remember the feeling of utter satisfaction he felt when he called Daniel up in front of the entire town to "_thank him_" for helping him find his true calling.)

(The look of sheer panic and fear on Daniel's face was what had made the moment perfect though. The boy really was too cocky for his own good. And seeing him so defenseless and vulnerable, Vlad had to rub it in whispering to him, "I'm rubbing your nose in this mess you made Daniel. Doesn't it smell yummy?")

And the laws you came up with were unbelievable! No technology in school! School uniforms! And of course, tearing down NASTY BURGER!

I couldn't take it! And even worse, I couldn't stop it! I couldn't just fight you to make all of it stop and your laws weren't just affecting me. They were affecting my friends and the rest of the teenagers in Amity Park!

I was left with no other choice… I had to call a truce. I had to go to your office and apologize. So I did.

It didn't go so well. For me at least, I'm sure you remember. I held out my hand to you but you just yelled at me and sent in some "guys in white" to try and blow me outta there. I still remember everything you said to me, "How nice, a gentlemen's handshake. But you forget, where you and I are concerned, I AM NO GENTLEMAN!"

"Oh come on!" I argued. "Can you even pretend to have a heart? ! I'm making an effort here!"

"I know! And even though the apology is a welcome departure from your usual childish arrogance it belies a greater truth. YOU HAD THIS COMING!"

I didn't know it at the time but you were right, I did have it coming.

When those "guys in white" burst in and I was blown out threw the wall I told Sam and Tucker what had happened. Together we came up with a plan that would get you voted off as mayor. It worked out, sorta. You stayed mayor but you also took back all those lame laws you had passed and that was victory enough for me.

But even after all that was over and things started going back to normal I still couldn't stop thinking about what you had said and why you hadn't accepted my truce.

I mean sure, my pranks did go a little too far but so did yours! And _you_ were the villain, not me! So why wouldn't you accept a truce with me! I was willing to let down my guard and not fight with you! For a little while at least…

And it wasn't like you couldn't trust me or anything. I mean I had never…

That's when it hit me. That's when I remembered that night in the Rockies.

You had already wanted a truce with me. A permanent truce. You had let your guard down and you were ready to welcome me with open arms. Literally. But I pushed you away. You were willing to forget all the fighting and hurtful things we had said to each other in the past just so we could have a truce. Just so I could join you and be by your side.

But I ignored it. I threw it back in your face without a single care. Without a single thought to how you felt.

Just like you did to me in your office that day… It all made sense.

The situation was the same only our roles were reversed. And yet there I was fully expecting you to just shake my hand and act like everything was fine between us.

I was so clueless. No, more than that, I was _heartless_.

(Vlad frowned a little at those words. Everything that Daniel had written was true and the older halfa had been cut deeply by the boy's betrayal just as well as he had been furious at the boy's proposal of a truce the second time. Yet somehow, heartless just didn't seem like a word that fit Daniel. Clueless maybe. But not heartless.)

I didn't think about your feelings at all the night I lied to you. I was only thinking about winning. About how I could get the upper hand to beat you. I treated it all like a game because that's all it was to me.

You were the villain and I was the hero. Someone had to win and someone had to lose. And everybody knows the hero is suppose to win so the villain gets stuck losing. But the only one that wins is the one that hits the hardest. So I hit you in a place that I thought would have the most impact.

And it worked. By some insane amount of luck, I actually beat you.

(Vlad scoffed lightly. 'Insane amount of luck' is right. There was no way Daniel could actually defeat him on his own.)

But it wasn't a real victory. It just lead to more fights.

I knew it would too and, in a way, I was happy about it. Because I didn't think you would give up on trying to win me over. Some insane thought in my head even told me you might actually be proud of the why I beat you. That you would be proud of me for being so clever.

Pfft, yeah right. The thought was insane alright.

(The billionaire sat back in his chair a moment crossing his legs. "_I guess it was a little clever_." Vlad mussed silently. "_And I did teach him the last time we met to use an opponent's weakness against them_." The thought didn't completely erase the pain of Daniel's lie but it eased it slightly. Perhaps it was a clever move.)

But what was crazier was that I thought it was a game! Like everything between you and me was nothing more than something out of a comic book!

I never thought we would be _real_ enemies, if that makes sense. I thought we would just fight every now and then, exchange witty banter, I'd try to stop you from doing something evil and you would try to get me to "_come to the dark side_" or whatever.

Lather, rinse, repeat.

But that day in your office. It changed the way I looked at everything. Including you.

The way you looked at me that day. I can't describe it… I mean, you had glared at me before and even shot lasers from your eyes at me but this was different. Much different.

It was like… Like I was the enemy. Not just in a hero, villain sort of way, but just _your_ enemy. Like I was everything horrible and wretched in your life. Like I was the cause of all your pain and suffering. The very vain of your existence.

("Bane Danny," Vlad corrected softly in the empty room. "The bane of my existence…" Yet somehow, despite all the pain Daniel had put him through, it sounded like a lie.)

And it hurt. I think it hurt a lot more than it should have… And I couldn't help but wonder… if that was the same pain you felt that night when I tricked you.

(Vlad kept scanning the letter. There was a long blank pause after that, but at the bottom in smaller writing it continued.)

I'm sorry Vlad. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I'll say it a thousand times if you'll let me. I. Am. Sorry.

I'm sorry for all the hurtful things I've said, for all the pranks, for the lie and everything else in between. But I need you to know that I don't hate you. I never did. _I swear_. And I'm not asking you to forgive me either. I don't deserve it.

This is just to let you know I'm sorry. An apology, short and sweet. Well… maybe not so short… or so sweet.

Vlad. I'm sorry for hurting you.

Sincerely,

Danny F.

_P.S. This doesn't mean I've forgotten how you tried to kill my dad and steal my mom. And I'll still stop you from trying to do either._

_I'm also not planning on joining the dark side any time soon. I still want to use my powers for good. So if you're wondering about me regretting turning you down on your offer the answer is… _

_Yes. But only because I regret the reason why I didn't want to and because of how I turned you down._

_But no matter what, you're still my fruitloop, and hopefully, I'm still your little badger._

Alexander had silently crept back into the dinning room to see what was taking his employer so long with his breakfast and to see if he now wished for the shattered cup and coffee to be cleaned up.

But what he saw when he entered the room left him speechless.

Vlad Masters was not a man who cried easily. Anyone who knew him was well aware of this. And in all the years Alexander had worked for Mr. Masters he had never once seen the man shed a single tear.

And yet, clutched in the man's hand was a simple letter in black and white that appeared to have moved the infamous Vlad Masters, to tears.

**Wow! This took me forever! I hope you all liked it~!**

**Do I hear a second chapter? Well, you gotta leave a review if you want that.**

**PLEASE tell me what you liked about it! I had to dive into my very SOUL to complete this! Don't let my hard work go to waste!**

**REVIEW!**


	2. Chapter 2 Class Interruptions

**Thanks for all the reviews! I'll do my best with chapter two! I hope you enjoy it!**

**Chapter 2: Class Interruptions**

Danny gripped the strap of his backpack even tighter as he walked into Casper High. Thoughts of previous battles with a certain billionaire fruitloop plaguing his mind.

He had done it. He had written down a full, sincere, heartfelt apology to Vlad. And even more impressive, he actually sent it.

Danny's thoughts drifted back to when he was standing in front of his mailbox staring at the letter in his hand for what felt like an eternity until he finally squeezed his eyes shut and pushed the letter inside slamming the mailbox shut as if the paper would explode.

He then ran back inside not stopping until he reached his bedroom where he promptly threw himself on his bed forcing himself not to go back and retrieve the letter before the mailman did.

Danny let out the tiniest hint of a sigh as he opened his locker. He still remembered the immense relief he felt as he wrote the letter, the feeling of a heavy burden being lifted off his shoulders.

But it didn't last long.

Once the letter was finished all that relief soon turned into doubt. What if Vlad got the letter saw that it was from him and didn't read it because it was from him. What if he just threw it away as soon as he got it? Or worse.

What if he _did_ read the letter and didn't believe a word of it! What if he thought it was all some sort of trick or another cruel prank! What if he got angry? !

The young halfa's heart started to beat as if he had raced up a flight of stairs. His body tensed up read to spring into action at any moment when suddenly-!

"Hey Danny, what's-"

"AHHH!" He jumped nearly a foot in the air.

"up?" Tucker finished staring at his friend who was currently hyperventilating. "Dude, are you alright?"

"Yeah Danny, you don't look so good." Sam added walking over and placing a hand on Danny's shoulder. "Everything ok?"

"Y-Yeah I'm fine." The ghost boy lied unconvincingly. "I guess I'm just nervous about that science quiz we have today or something." Danny quickly turned and continued down the hall.

Sam and Tucker exchanged confused glances but said nothing as they followed their friend to their first period class.

XXX Line Break XXX

By third period Danny started to relax a little. He was no longer glancing over his shoulder every time he thought he was alone nor was he shifting in his seat restlessly every five minutes.

Nothing. Not one sign of Vlad appearing at school. He was just being paranoid. The letter probably didn't get to Vlad's house yet anyway. What was he so worried about? That Plasmius would really just show up in the middle of one of his classes and start fighting with him, demanding why he had gotten some sort of mock apology in the mail?

Danny chuckled inwardly. There was no way. Vlad was way too discreet for that. Or at least, he acted like he was anyway.

Danny sat back at his history desk with a contented sigh. Yeah, what was he so worried about?

*_cold breath_* Danny jolted forward as his ghost sense went off. Oh no… Plasmius, h-he wouldn't…

Without warning the fire alarm went off, several of the girl students, mostly cheerleaders, let out a scream as everyone rushed out of their classrooms. Soon Danny's History class was empty allowing him to morph into Phantom without being seen.

Or at least it would have if Mr. Lancer hadn't come back for him…

"Pride and Prejudice Fenton! Don't just stand there!" The out of shape English teacher exclaimed as he grabbed the student by the wrist. "We need to evacuate!"

"But I-" Danny tried to form a reasonable excuse to escape the teacher's clutches but found none. Mr. Lancer yanked him along down the hallway making it impossible for him to "_go ghost_" what with all the students rushing around trying to escape the imaginary fire. After all there was no fire drill scheduled and Danny doubted there was an actual fire somewhere in the school. This way some sort of trap. It had to be.

Mr. Lancer released Danny as soon as they were outside. Students and teachers were already separated into large groups and were murmuring and whispering about what had happened and where the fire started. If there was a fire at all.

"_Gotta find Sam and Tucker_." Danny pushed his way through the herds of students desperately trying to find his friends. After a few minutes of searching the ghost boy realized it was no use. The entire school was packed out here and without Phantom's advantage of a bird's eye view there was no way he could locate the goth girl and the techno geek in this crowd.

Danny squeezed out of a rather tight group with a grunt. Looking back the way he came he could only see a wall of people, all their backs seeming to face him.

"_Well, at least now maybe I can go ghost_." But before the raven haired teen could morph several voices rose up in the crowd followed by the unmistakable sound of fire engines racing toward the school. Danny tried to get back into the crowd to get a better look but the students made formed a tightly packed wall shutting him out completely. "_Great_."

(_Danny's luck is about to get much worse…_)

Without warning something, or someone, grabbing the ghost boy firmly by the shoulders swiftly dragging him away from the other students. Danny struggled in the iron tight grip as he was lifted higher.

"Let go of me!" A halo of light formed around the young halfa's waist but quickly vanished as he was thrown to the ground, the impact cutting off the change mid-morph.

Danny landed on his chest with a soft thud although he probably would've landed on his feet had he not been struggling so much. Not that that mattered to the teen. Honestly, couldn't he get one normal day at school with no ghosts popping up or trying to spirit him away.

The young halfa rose to his feet with a growl. "Alright, you went to all this trouble just to get me alone." Danny spoke to the emptiness of the school's back parking lot knowing the ghost, whoever or whatever it might be, could hear him. "So why don't you quit being a coward and come out where I can see you?"

A haunting laugh was all that greeted him. A deep rumbling laugh that the teen knew all too well, it made him shudder.

"So eager to fight, are we?" The vampiric ghost appeared out of thin air only to stand a mere five feet away from the ghost boy, trade mark smirk on his lips. "Shame I didn't come here to do so." Plasmius mused as if disappointed. "We would have so much time, what with your school being thrown into chaos by a mere fire alarm and no one realizing you're gone."

"Cut out the act Plasmius. What do you want?" Danny demanded trying his hardest not to let his voice shake though he was sure his knees were.

Vlad's smirk vanished at the boy's harsh tone, all traces of playfulness gone. "Answers." The older halfa replied, voice cold as ice. "I want answers Daniel. I want you to explain to me why I received this." Plasmius reached into the back of his cape pulling out an unfolded letter as if by magic.

Danny's eyes widened but he forced his face to remain defensive, indifferent. "It's a letter. So what?" The younger halfa folded his thin arms across his chest to keep his hands from shaking.

"Yes, _your_ letter that you wrote to _me_ apologizing for almost every moment we've spent together." Vlad replied his voice still hard, his expression likewise.

"_I knew this would happen!"_ Danny thought frantically. "_I never should've sent that stupid letter!"_

"Daniel," Vlad continued his voice a little softer. "Is this true? Is this how you really feel?"

Danny was panicking now, his heart pounding against his ribcage. He couldn't tell if the older halfa was joking, furious, or something in between. Part of him was screaming at him to deny all of it. To deny that he actually regretted what he had done and say that he only sent the letter to try and get Vlad to leave him alone.

But then he'd be lying…

Danny had meant every word he wrote, so shouldn't he just admit it to the man? He'd already written the apology, why not confirm it?

Danny studied the older halfa's face. The man seemed sincere enough. Perhaps he really did just want the truth.

"I…" Danny swallowed the lump in his throat. "Y-Yeah, it's true, every word. I-I just…" Danny paused seeing Vlad's face soften, an unknown emotion shining in his scarlet red eyes. "I just felt bad about everything that's happened between us. Everything that I've done… I just… I just didn't wanna leave things the way they were." The ghost boy shifted nervously.

Danny waited for the vampiric halfa to reply but the man remained silent, the gentle look never leaving his face, the apology letter now hanging limply by his side.

The raven haired boy took it as a sign to continue. "We've both been through a lot. We've put each other through a lot but… But that doesn't mean it has to stay this way right? I mean, we could _try_ to put our differences aside. Forgive and forget right?" Danny gave the older halfa a small smile but it faded quickly when the man didn't reply. Or smile back…

Nervousness started to settle in again forcing the teen to continue speaking. "Well, I guess there is no real way to just forget is there?" He continued quickly rubbing the back of his neck. "But we could still forgive each other. That's possible. Maybe start over again and get a fresh start. Then we'll both start with a clean slate." Danny smiled again but it just made him feel like more of a fool since Vlad still wasn't responding.

But Vlad was still listening. Still taking in every word he was saying, Danny was sure of that. The man's face had altered slightly as Danny continued his ramble going from clam and open to serious contemplation and perhaps even calculating as if trying to come up with a way to make the boy's words a reality.

When Vlad still didn't respond Danny deflated slightly wondering if his letter really had been a horrible mistake.

Well, he'd come this far. He took the first step in all this by writing that letter. He might as well take the initiative now.

Feeling a little bolder Danny wordlessly walked up to the other halfa till they were face to face. Well, almost face to face. Vlad practically towered over Danny, the top of the teen's head just barely reaching the man's chin.

"I'm willing to start over if you are." Danny said softly, a genuine smile on his face as he looked up at the older halfa. "So, what do you say Vlad?" The teen asked reaching his hand out to the elder. "Can we start over?"

Vlad stared hard at Danny's face for a long time the same unknown look in his calculating eyes. He looked down at the boy's welcoming hand and back to his face once more.

"I think you should leave Daniel." Vlad finally replied, his voice hard but otherwise emotionless. "I believe your class will be starting soon."

Danny took a single step back, hand still outstretched, clearly taken back by the older halfa's words. He suddenly felt sick. Like someone had kicked him so hard in the stomach he was about to lose his breakfast. He lowered his now trembling hand and stared at the ground unable to look at the man.

Thick black bangs covering his eyes he silently nodded his head finding no more words to speak. It was over. There was nothing more to say…

Danny turned on his heel and started walking away. He didn't look back as he left the parking lot. He didn't need to turn around to know that Vlad was already gone…

**I'm so evil! *cries hysterically* This chapter ended so sadly! It made my stomach hurt too!**

**But don't worry. This isn't the end. Chapter 3 will be up soon! Stay tuned!**

**And REVIEW!**


	3. Chapter 3 A New Beginning

**YAY! Lots of sweet reviews! Thank you! I'll do my best in this chapter as I always try to. I hope you enjoy it! So here we go with-**

**Chapter 3: A New Beginning**

Danny dragged his feet as he walked down the street, his shoulders slumped and his hands in his pockets. It had been four days since Danny's meeting with Vlad and the confession of his letter. Four days since he had heard or seen anything of the older hybrid.

Not that he was expecting anything.

The young hybrid knew it was all over now. Whatever there was between him and Vlad- hatred, anger, sadness, understanding, _hope_. Whatever bond there was- enemies, allies, _friends_…

Danny sighed hanging his head. Whatever there was between them was gone now. Gone for good.

But it wasn't _all_ his fault, was it? He did try to make things right with Vlad. He apologized to the man didn't he?

"_But it wasn't enough_." The ghost boy thought quietly. "_I said I was sorry _**and**_ I offered to put my differences aside so we could be friends. What else was I suppose to do? Beg? !" _

Danny's eyes suddenly flashed bright green, his steps quickening. "_Pompous jerk! It was _**his**_ fault too! He started all this! Trying to make my dad look bad at that stupid reunion and all his evil schemes after that! Why did _**I** _have to be the one to apologize! ? He's the villain, not me!"_

The teen came to a stop, his anger quickly fading as that last thought made him feel uneasy. Wasn't it that sort of thinking that got him into this mess? Thinking Vlad was nothing more than a villain that needed to be defeated.

"_And I am not a villain. All I wanted was love_…"

Vlad's words echoed in Danny's mind as he began walking again heading towards the local park.

"I guess I could've tried being more understanding a little sooner." The raven haired boy muttered despite himself. "It wasn't like _I_ acted like much of a hero…"

Danny walked into the park oblivious to the couples walking hand in hand and the children playing tag and hide and seek.

"Vlad may be a fruitloop, but it's not like he doesn't have his reasons why." The ghost boy admitted. "And if he wasn't such a crazed up fruitloop," the teen smiled at the colorful nickname he had given the suave yet slightly stuck-up billionaire. "Then I never would've gotten a cousin."

Danny smiled at the thought of the ten year old girl phantom. Danielle, a little hybrid so much like him and in more than just looks. Danni was cute and smart and sassy. A little girl with attitude and the spunk to show it.

Danny had gotten attached to her all too easily and even though the two of them hadn't spent much time together Danny found it hard imagining life without her.

Danni was family. His family. A member of his family that had been given to him by none other than his arch-nemesis, Vlad Masters.

Of course Vlad never meant to give him such a wonderful gift, but had done so all the same.

"And if I was really the hero everyone _thinks_ I am, I would be grateful to Vlad, villain or not." The ghost boy whispered staring down at his own untied shoe lace not caring enough to bend down and tie it.

Danny soon came to a wooden park bench and sat down with an anguished sigh. His thick midnight bangs falling into his eyes as he hung his head in shame.

So much could've been avoided. So many fights and so much heartache…

The teen knew it was stupid to feel regret now. Now that all the damage had been done and there was no way to fix it. Stupid and pointless.

So why did he feel like this? Like there was a gaping hole in his chest that ached to be filled.

After all he was perfectly fine when he and Vlad were enemies. Why should the fact that they couldn't be friends bother him?

"_Because it's over now_." Danny thought burying his face in his hands. "_Vlad isn't going to come chasing after me anymore. He isn't going to fight me or challenge me anymore. He won't even talk to me now_…"

The ghost boy gripped his hair with both hands to keep them from shaking, his chest welling up with grief.

"He doesn't want anything to do with me now."

Danny took a deep breath trying to steady himself as he pressed his hands into his lap and raised his head.

Well, there was no point staying here any longer. Danny told his parents he was just going out for a short walk and that he would be home in no time at all. But of course this was only said so that they wouldn't worry. Both his mom and surprisingly his dad too had noticed his strange, somewhat ghostly behavior that day he had come home from school. Jazz especially took notice.

The teen naturally brushed them off though claiming in was nothing and today told them he just needed some fresh air. The last part held some truth at least. Danny had hoped the fresh air might clear his head of all the bitter thoughts plaguing his mind but really he just needed to get away from everyone and spend some time alone.

Although now it seemed like solitude was the last thing he needed.

With another sigh the hybrid pushed himself out of his seat and started down the pathway through the park. He might as well take the long way home. He had plenty of time to kill any-

_OOF!_

Danny's mind jolted back to reality so fast that for a moment he couldn't speak. He just stood there frozen in place less than an inch away from a dark thin jacket of whose owner he had just carelessly bumped into.

Which really shouldn't have been a surprise to the boy. He was staring down at his own two feet as he walked after all.

"I-I'm sorry, I-" Danny started to sputter an apology to the stranger only to back away from the dark form and gasp.

"_IT'S VLAD_!" His mind screamed like an alarm.

Sure enough, towering over the young halfa was the infamous billionaire tycoon. The man's silky silver hair was pulled back in a tight pony tail as it always seemed to be and on his face was a look of confusion.

Danny couldn't help but look at the man from head to toe as if to confirm that the older halfa truly was standing before him. Vlad was wearing his usual black pants and shoes but covering his suit was a casual midnight blue jacket which he probably wore due to the chill in the air although Danny only just noticed it and suppressed a small shiver.

The teen also noticed Vlad's right hand was raised as if he had been holding something. Danny glanced back at the ground only to find a Styrofoam cup lying at Vlad's feet, steaming hot coffee pouring out of it endlessly.

The ghost boy visibly paled.

Wasn't it bad enough he had tricked, betrayed, insulted, and thwarted the man a countless times? ! Now he had made the man spill his coffee too!

"Ohmygosh! Vlad! I'm so sorry! I just didn't see you there and I-" Danny started talking a mile a minute sure that the other halfa's rage would explode any moment.

But Vlad merely quirked one elegant eyebrow giving the teen a puzzled look. "I'm sorry my boy," the man began, his voice far from angry. "But have we met?"

Danny's mind went blank. For a full 30 seconds all he could do was stare at the man in front of him. "Ummm, I…" Hold on. There was no way Vlad could have really forgotten him! "Wait, what?"

Vlad only smiled at him. A warm friendly smile you might give to a stranger who you just helped off the ground. "I'm sorry," the older halfa repeated. "I'm being a tad rude aren't I?" Danny watched as Vlad humbly bent down and picked up the now empty coffee cup. "I wasn't really watching where I was going. I didn't mean to startle you so much."

"Oh…" Danny replied still not sure how to react or why Vlad was being so nice to him.

Vlad smiled at him again, though the teen was sure the man was holding back a smirk this time. "I suppose introductions are in order, hmm? My name is Vlad Masters," the man paused to stretch his free hand out to Danny. "And you are..?"

The ghost boy stared up at the man in awe, his eyes as big as saucers. Everything slowly clicked into place as Danny's face lit up with hope.

It wasn't over. Vlad hadn't given up on him. He was giving him a second chance.

Danny couldn't hide the sheer joy on his face as he took Vlad's hand in his. "Hi…" The teen replied, his voice a little breathless. "I'm Danny Fenton. It's nice to meet you Mr. Masters."

Vlad chuckled softly. "It's nice to meet you too my boy, and please call me Vlad." The man said sincerely giving the boy's hand a gentle squeeze before letting go. "Well," Vlad said straightening up. "I was planning on simply getting a coffee and taking a walk through the park. But seeing as I've already managed to _finish_ this one," the older halfa glanced in Danny's direction causing the teen to blush. "It looks like I'll have to go back and get a fresh one."

"Yeah, sorry bout that…" the ghost boy said awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck.

"Would you like to come with me?" Vlad asked so smoothly it was almost casual. "I would enjoy the company and I'll gladly get you a drink of your own if you'd like."

Danny was dumbfounded for a moment but quickly nodded in response as he searched for his voice. "Sure, I'd really like that. Thanks."

Vlad gave Danny an unforgettable smile before gesturing the boy to walk beside him which the teen did so happily.

The two halfas walked to a small stand in the middle of the park where Vlad bought another coffee for himself and a hot chocolate for Danny. The two walked through the park together talking and getting to know each other as if it really was the first time they had met.

In a way, it felt like it was the first time.

Danny felt as though he had learned more about Vlad through the simple conversations and questions they shared during that time then in all the months they had known each other.

And while Vlad probably wouldn't admit it, he felt the same.

But as time passed Danny realized that he had spent a good _two hours_ talking to Vlad due to the 22 text messages he found on his cell phone.

1 from Sam.

1 from Tucker.

20 from Jazz.

"I'm sorry Vlad but I think I'd better start heading home." The raven haired teen said truthfully slipping his phone back into his pocket.

Vlad nodded silently in agreement but Danny didn't fail to miss the disappointment in his eyes. "Well," the man started and for a moment looked unsure. "Thank you." He said softly, dark blue eyes boring gently into icy ones. "Thank you for a very pleasant afternoon Daniel. I hope you and I can do this again some time…" Vlad hinted smoothly but his eyes seemed to be pleading desperately.

Danny allowed a huge smile to stretch across his face breaking the somewhat tense atmosphere. "Definitely! We definitely have to do this again!"

The teen's words flooded over the billionaire filling him with relief. He returned an equally happy smile and replied, "Well you have my number now. You may call me at any time and we can set up a date when we're both free."

Danny had to bite back his tongue to keep from calling the man a fruitloop after saying they could set up a "_date_". What a weirdo.

Instead the teen merely nodded his head grinning in secret.

The two shook hands once more and said their goodbyes before turning their own way to leave. Both walked away feeling more satisfied then they ever thought they could.

Only…

Vlad slowed his steps feeling as if he was forgetting something. Oh yes!

"Daniel," the man called as he turned around getting the teen's attention. "I was wondering, since you don't mind me calling you Daniel instead of Danny, would you mind if I also called you _little badger_?" Vlad teased with an evil smirk loving how the boy's mouth fell open at the question.

Before Danny could get over his shock enough to reply Vlad turned on his heel and quickly walked away listening to the teen shout angrily after him.

The man let out a content sigh. Oh yes, he could definitely get use to this…

**Sooooo, whatcha think? Bad? Ok? Good? Awesome?**

**My favorite part was, "**Wasn't it bad enough he had tricked, betrayed, insulted, and thwarted the man a countless times? ! Now he had made the man spill his coffee too!"

**But anyway, **

**Please leave your thoughts and comments, I love em! Also, if you want more chapters please tell me along with you review. I will be writing another chapter after this but if you want a LONG story you must let me know and give me suggestions.**

**Other than that, THANK YOU FOR READING!**


	4. Chapter 4 Arguing With Myself

**Sorry for the wait! This goes back a little during the four days that Vlad was ignoring Danny. These are some of Vlad's thoughts and how he was struggling on deciding what to do.**

**Chapter 4: Arguing With Myself**

_It still doesn't make any sense!_ The thought repeated in Vlad's mind for the hundredth time. It had been four days since Vlad had last seen Danny. Four days of him utterly refusing to go see the dear boy and work things out as he so desperately wanted to.

A soft growl escaped the billionaire's lips as he forced himself to sit down at his desk once more. The once neat piles of paper on his desk were now scattered and mixed together. It would take a half an hour alone just to sort out which papers he had already signed and that which he hadn't.

But Vlad didn't care.

Keeping himself busy with his duties as mayor was all Vlad could do to keep himself from rushing back to the ghost boy and pleading for forgiveness and a chance to start over.

"I'd only be making a fool of myself." Vlad grumbled under his breath as he shuffled some meaningless papers together.

Vlad had gone over his encounter with Daniel over and over again in his mind and each time the man had convinced himself that the boy's motives were sincere, that Danny truly wanted a non-hostile relationship with him, that old bitterness he had held onto for so long would slowly start to rise leaving him more vengeful and unforgiving then before.

All of Danny's jibs and insults would start flooding back to memory.

"Shouldn't you be getting home to the love of your life? Oh that's right, dad _married_ the love of your life! You're _bitter_ and _alone_!"

"Bye Vlad! And as a lonely single man in your forties might I suggest internet dating? Or a cat!"

And perhaps the worst of all, the one that really got under Vlad's skin no matter how he tried to ignore it:

"Dude, you are one seriously crazed up fruitloop."

Vlad pressed a hand over his eyes as he felt them flash a burning red. Then, as always, came the loathing. He just couldn't help it. He hated that accursed nickname! How in the world had Daniel come up with it anyway? !

"Too much television I'm sure." The halfa muttered scribbling his name down at the bottom of a paper and sighing when he realized he had signed it twice.

But even with all the spiteful bitterness raging in his heart Vlad would still reach into the inside pocket of his suit and pull out Danny's letter. Vlad kept his little badger's letter with him at all times for fear of misplacing it, having it stolen or simply leaving it out in the open where it could fade into oblivion altogether.

The fear of Daniel's letter disappearing for no logical or explainable reason was all too great for Vlad. In fact, the first time Vlad had blindly reached into his suit and had not immediately felt paper his heart skipped a beat. The fear of having lost the precious letter making him frantic for a few seconds as he nearly ripped his $5,000 suit open only to sigh in relief when he saw the paper still there.

Since then there wasn't a day, or two hours for that matter, that went by without Vlad reading Danny's letter. He probably knew every word by heart now. Every sincere, pleading, precious word Daniel had written.

And every time he read it his resolve would grumble to the ground like the weak wall it was. His loathing and bitterness would disappear only to be replaced by longing and understanding and more often then not, _guilt_.

_What are you doing Masters? Daniel is putting forth the effort to become friends and you're just going to ignore him for it? The boy is willing to forgive and forget. Why aren't you?_

"Because it's just too good to be true…" The man sighed broken heartedly as he pulled out the younger halfa's letter staring at the first two words that caught his eye.

"_I'm sorry__."_

"I'm sorry too Daniel," Vlad whispered feeling the corner of his eyes burn as he struggled to keep the tears at bay. "You don't realize just how much."

Turning the letter over he read the final words, "But no matter what you're still my fruitloop and hopefully I'm still your little badger."

Vlad chuckled softly through his tears wiping them away with his finger tip. "Yes, you'll always be my little badger." He set the letter down on his desk with a sigh. "If only I could be more than a '_fruitloop_' to you."

_You could be if you tried, and now would be the time to do just that. Strike while the iron's hot._

Vlad nearly groaned as he began arguing with himself again. Normally he didn't mind such selfish thoughts. They were often the beginning of his most brilliant schemes however as of late they were driving him mad.

"Now _would_ be the time to strike." The man whispered to himself in agreement, sinking deep in thought. "If Danny is telling the truth then his guard will be down, it would be easy to win him over. Or to get revenge for all he's done to me…"

_But is that really what you want?_

A picture flashed in Vlad's mind, one of Daniel's face as 'Plasmius' told him the truth after weeks of gaining his trust and pretending to be his friend. A scene where Jack was dead due to his cunning planning and Daniel's naïve trust, where Maddie was finally his for the taking and he had gotten all he ever wanted.

Revenge.

The love of his life.

Money.

Power.

All of it. And there he was rubbing his victory in the boy's face.

He could almost hear himself saying, "So tell me Daniel, how does it feel? How does it feel to be lied to? To be tricked and betrayed only to be left with **nothing**?"

And he could see Daniel much to horrified to speak. Shock written all over his features as white hot tears filled his eyes. Then the boy would fall to his knees in anguish, hands over his eyes as he wept bitterly, tears endlessly streaming down his face.

He would have no answer.

Vlad shuddered forcefully. He couldn't do that. He just couldn't do that. Not to Daniel.

_Why not? You would be getting everything you ever wanted, wouldn't you?_ Vlad's own thoughts seemed to be taunting him now.

"No," The man whispered. "Not _everything_."

_Exactly. Because you want Daniel just as much as everything else you can't seem to obtain in life. Sweet revenge, Maddie as your wife, __**an heir to all your wealth and knowledge**__._

"I know." Vlad growled.

_But now you can obtain an heir, a perfect half-ghost son! And you're just sitting here! You don't have to get revenge on Daniel. That would be pointless now, the boy has obviously learned his lesson._

"But how? ! What's changed the boy's mind all of a sudden?"

_Does it matter? The boy is in your grasp! Do you realize how easy it will be for you to take Jack's place now? Daniel is __**willingly**__ allowing you into his life. Now all you need to do is take your rightful place in his life, as his mentor, as his __**father**__. And should Maddie see what a liking Daniel has taken to you…_

Vlad groaned standing up from his desk to pace back and forth in the room. As much as the billionaire wanted to blame Plasmius for all these self-centered thoughts the man knew he'd only be fooling himself. Plasmius was no more than an alter-ego. They were one in the same and so his thoughts remained the same whether in human form or in ghost form.

_Well, what is it going to be Masters? What is it you want most… _His own voice echoed in his mind.

Vlad stopped pacing. He had finally made up his mind.

**Ok, I noticed the last chapter was a little off since Vlad just popped up outta nowhere deciding to start things over with Danny. I guess I should've written this chapter before the last one but I think it might work out better this way since now none of you know what Vlad is really after. *grins evilly***

**Now you need to try and figure out what Vlad's up too. Does he really want to make things right with Danny and start over? OR is he just trying to win Danny over for his own selfish desires?**

**Stay tuned to find out! And review!**


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